The subtitle misleads the reader: the book does not present a plan but is a series of somewhat unrelated, anecdote-driven chapters debunking various management sacred cows. Kennedy's points are frequently well taken. Some of the shibboleths he eradicates--e.g., ""The customer is always right""--have long ceased to be truisms. His other contrarian success strategies include such maxims as mix work and play whenever you can; forget everything you were told about persistence; don't treat everyone alike, manage by discrimination. Yet there are contradictions. Chapter 7 advises that ""Quitters win a lot""; pages later, the author includes in his advice to young people the story of his phoning a potential employer every day for two weeks to secure an interview. This book does not pretend to be great management theory. Instead, the author offers counter-intuitive advice in a lively, easy-to-read style. It just might give some people the necessary nudge to earn a few million dollars or at least a few hundred thousand. (Sept.)